Some 800,000 people have turned out in Barcelona and other towns in Catalonia on a day of rallies by nationalists wishing to break with Spain. Police say 540,000 people rallied in Barcelona, the capital of the region in north-east Spain, while the rest gathered in four other Catalan towns.

But numbers were down sharply compared with last year's event, when 1.4 million rallied in Barcelona alone.

Spain has consistently blocked attempts to hold a referendum on secession.

Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont had urged support for "converting Catalonia into an independent state".

Divisions have also emerged between the separatist movement's main political grouping in the Catalan parliament, the Together for Yes coalition, and its radical leftwing ally, the CUP.

Mr Puigdemont, who took power in January, faces a confidence vote on 28 September.

He advocates a negotiated withdrawal from Spain but has hinted that Catalonia might declare independence unilaterally if necessary.